Colorful Fruits

Orange melon (cantaloupe), red watermelon and white dragon fruit is ready to be served. CANTALOUPE Popular with children and adults, cantaloupe can make a refreshing, healthful, and easy summer dessert, while their high water content helps prevent dehydration. This type of fruit also contains a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Other names for cantaloupe include muskmelon, mush melon, rock melon, and Persian melon. They are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family, along with honeydew melons, watermelons, and cucumbers. Benefits The water, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in cantaloupe can provide a variety of health benefits. Antioxidants, for example, can help prevent cell damage that can lead to cancer and other health conditions. During metabolism, the body produces unstable molecules called free radicals, which can collect in the body and damage cells. This damage is known as oxidative stress. Antioxidants help remove free radicals from the body and prevent oxidative stress. Canteloupe contains a range of antioxidants, including Trusted Source: selenium, beta carotene, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, choline. It is worth noting that, while the nutrients in food are essential for maintaining a healthy body, scientific investigations into the effects of these nutrients often deal with supplements, rather than dietary sources, and the results may be somewhat different. (via medicalnewstoday.com) WATERMELON Watermelon is a sweet and refreshing low calorie summer snack. It provides hydration and also essential nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Along with cantaloupe, honeydew, and cucumber, watermelons are a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. There are five common types of watermelon: seeded, seedless, mini, yellow, and orange. In this article, learn more about the possible health benefits and nutritional content of watermelon, some tips for serving it, and who should limit it. Benefits The water content of watermelon can help a person stay hydrated. Watermelon is around 90% water, which makes it useful for staying hydrated in the summer. It can also satisfy a sweet tooth with its natural sugars. Watermelon also contains antioxidants. These substances can help removeTrusted Source molecules known as free radicals, or reactive species, from the body. The body produces free radicals during natural processes, such as metabolism. They can also develop through smoking, air pollution, stress, and other environmental pressures. If too many free radicals stay in the body, oxidative stress can occur. This can result in cell damage and may lead to a range of diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. The body can remove some free radicals naturally, but dietary antioxidants support this process. (via medicalnewstoday.com) DRAGON FRUIT Dragon fruit is a fruit of many names, known as pitaya and pitahaya depending on genus, as well as strawberry pear and even night blooming cereus. It is also called thang loy in Thailand, pitahayah if hailing from Israel, and paniniokapunahou in Hawaii. Despite this contemporary global spread, dragon fruit is native to Mexico, Central America, and South America and was introduced to Asia via Vietnam by the French in the early 1800s. In the United States, dragon fruit continues to gain popularity, which is spurring expansion in commercial production. A number of dragon fruit species are grown around the world, from Asia and the Middle East to Central and South America. Vietnam is Asia’s top producer, primarily growing fruit with bright pink skin and white flesh; other Asian countries cultivating the fruit include Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand. Nicaragua and Ecuador both grow significant amounts of a pink-skinned dragon fruit species with deep to light pink flesh. Ecuador also grows a yellow skinned variety with white flesh, which is also cultivated in Colombia. Mexico, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala are also seasonal producers. Other countries that grow pitaya for domestic consumption and export include Australia and Israel. Dragon fruit is often consumed fresh, much like a kiwi, and the plant’s small flower is edible when cooked. Rich in protein, fiber, iron, and antioxidants, it is a popular ingredient in fruit bars, jellies, juice, yogurt, and smoothies. Red varieties can also be used as a natural dye or colorant. (via producebluebook.com) #pindlethailand #pindlegem #fruits #guidebook